Choosing meats: focus on diversity and quality
To create a beautiful charcuterie board, choose 5 or more varieties of charcuterie . Start with dry-cured ham , dry sausage and a terrine or rillettes. Then add more original elements. Artisanal charcuterie remains a safe bet. Here are some ideas:
Playing with the diversity of tastes
First, choose some fairly classic cold meats , with types of meat that everyone can enjoy: dry-cured ham, pure pork sausage, country terrine, etc. Then enhance your platter with:
- Flavored pieces such as sausage with walnuts, Auvergne blue cheese or Provençal herbs, or even a Cantal terrine;
- Spicy dishes like fuet with chili peppers, peppered sausage or chorizo;
- Other types of meat , such as rabbit terrine or Corsican wild boar sausage;
- Different tastes and textures , for example by mixing the melting but powerful taste of the gros bride, the drier heart of a curved sausage and the characterful flavor of a figatellu.
Little tip: Corsican charcuterie is a real asset to your platter. The pieces benefit from smoking which gives them a unique taste and aroma.
Compose a regional plateau
Another idea for creating a beautiful charcuterie board is to offer a range of local specialties .
For an Ardèche platter , the IGP sausage is essential: large bridled, curved or straight sausage, the choice is yours. You can also bet on iconic flavored products like the large bridled with Saint-Joseph, the walnut pâté or the Beaufort sausage.
For a charcuterie board with a taste of the South , present products from Ardèche and add a sausage with herbs from Provence and a perch from Aveyron.
For a more exotic platter , opt for Corsican charcuterie : figatellu, lonzu and coppa accompanied by a Corsican dry sausage and a wild boar sausage.
Playing with the diversity of shapes
Creating a beautiful charcuterie board also means playing with the visual aspect. Focus on contrast by combining large and small slices. You can also cut the sausages on the bias.
Alternate slices of bridé, fuet and walnut sausage to obtain and admire the result. Add ham, vine shoots or nibbles, and you will have an irresistible platter.
Little tip: to avoid racking your brains, choose from our boxes. Each one already contains several varieties of cold meats that you can simply prepare and present to your guests, without the risk of a false note.
Choice of accompaniments to serve with your charcuterie board
Who says charcuterie board , says accompaniment. Even if sausages and rillettes are more than enough on their own, it's even better with other flavors.
Toasted bread is essential if you are serving a terrine or pâté. For more flavor, you can choose sesame bread. Add salty biscuits (crackers) or chips if your guests enjoy these appetizers.
Moreover, a good assortment of fruits and vegetables will give your board a touch of originality and consistency.
You can choose bitter or sour
In this case, pickles and olives are a classic contrast to accompany the fat of the meat. You can also innovate by presenting grapefruit slices. And for even more spice, why not serve olives stuffed with chili pepper?
The sweetness of seasonal fruits for a sweet and savory platter
In summer, melon is perfect with ham, while pineapple goes very well with spicy sausages. Don't hesitate to take advantage of the sweetness of peaches and apricots to highlight all the flavor of the artisanal sausage. Other seasonal fruits like raspberries or blackberries will also be perfect to accompany your board.
Figs and apples go with just about anything, adding crunch to your platter. Grapes are also very versatile.
Dried fruits, a safe bet that is sometimes underestimated
Hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds will bring an unprecedented richness to your platter. Nibbling on a few seeds of dried fruit between two bites of meat allows you to appreciate all of its flavor.
Vegetables: a wide choice of colors and flavors
A simple green salad and cherry tomatoes will liven up your board if you don't have much time to prepare. Grated carrots and boiled asparagus, or broccoli and peppers will add color to the platter.
For more refinement, consider parsley mushrooms, dried tomatoes, vegetable chutney or even grilled zucchini or eggplant.
Sauces, not to be forgotten
Mayonnaise remains the ultimate all-purpose sauce, but there are other interesting options like tartar sauce, mushroom pâté mixed with cream cheese, or even guacamole. You can also offer several sauces depending on the composition of your platter.
Cheeses, a must
Just like with charcuterie, the idea is to present a variety of cheeses , hard or soft, more or less strong... If you're short of ideas, limit yourself to the essentials: mozzarella, camembert and Roquefort.
If you are preparing a raclette, there is no need to add cheese to your charcuterie board. In this case, you also do not need a wide variety of meats. Ham and sausages can be quite sufficient, provided you choose quality products.
A neat presentation for an irresistible board
For two or three people for an aperitif, a single medium-sized tray will suffice. For example, you can choose a round slate tray for a chic bistro style. If you have several guests, you have two options:
- A large format tray , which can be adapted for an aperitif for up to around 6 people;
- Several smaller trays if you have more guests, to make access easier.
To compose a beautiful charcuterie board, simply arrange the elements by playing with the contrast : alternate ham leaves and sausage slices with fruit squares and vegetable sticks. Add the cheese slices then fill the remaining space with dried fruit, and that's it.
For special occasions, allow yourself more fanciful presentations , for example an assortment of cold meats in the shape of a Christmas tree.
You can place the small ramekins of sauce on the boards (in the center if it is a round tray) or to the side: it depends on the space available.
Practical questions: calculating quantity, preparing the charcuterie and drink platter
If you are going to serve a charcuterie board as an appetizer, about 80g of meat per person will be enough. If it is a cocktail party , plan on double that .
When preparing your charcuterie plate, make sure to take out the ingredients early enough . They must be at room temperature for tasting. This also applies, and especially, to cheeses, which must not be too hard or too soft.
If you plan to serve your charcuterie board to seated guests, you can serve relatively large pieces, accompanied by a knife. On the other hand, for a standing cocktail party, consider cutting everything in advance to bite-sized pieces. This way, your guests will only have to dig into the platter with one hand, and hold the drink in the other.
Speaking of drinks, a good glass of wine remains the best ally of a charcuterie board. But you can also opt for craft beer , classic and refreshing. A blonde will be unanimous, and if you know your guests well, you can present a more original variety, like a scrambler or a Session IPA.
